August 7th-9th,2015
159th Drayton
Fall Fair
FRIDAY: Local Truck & Tractor Pull at 6:30pm SATURDAY: Sanctioned Truck & Tractor Pull at 6:30pm SUNDAY: Demolition Derby at 2:00pm
FOR MORE EVENTS & INFORMATION
www.draytonfair.com
08 | 01 | 2015 VOLUME 20 | ISSUE 31
ELMIRA GOLFER GETS A TASTE OF THE PGA TOUR SPORTS PAGE 11
COMMENT PAGE 8
TAXI SERVICES MAKE IT EASY FOR UBER TO MOVE IN
School board issues longdelayed report cards ... of sorts
SPLASHING ABOUT TO BEAT THE HEAT
www.OBSERVERXTRA.com
Elevated DDT levels found in Canagagigue New tests show “alarming” amounts just downstream from Chemtura site, CPAC demands quick action
SCOTT BARBER It took 35 temporary workers and three supervisors some three weeks and $200,000, but Waterloo Region District School Board’s 42,000 elementary students will finally receive their grades by July 31, a WRDSB spokesperson said this week. “We had a leadership team that was able to bring in approximately 35-40 folks who are not WRDSB employees,” Marty Deacon explained. “We worked through an agency (to get workers) to come in, in a very focused session to learn about report card entry, to take the information that was recorded in a variety of ways and input the report card data for all of our students, so that we could provide the mark summaries.” The issue arose at the end of the school year in June after the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario instructed its members not to input their student’s grades. The tactic was part of ongoing labour strife, which has seen the union go without a contract since last August. At first, the WRDSB said it would be too difficult to provide report cards, since grades were
STEVE KANNON
As temperatures soared Monday afternoon, youngsters cooled down at the Wellesley splash pad. Top left, Daniel McClements, Reyna Willierd, Chloe McClements, Camryn Willierd and Liam Willierd. Top right, Sharmayne Johnson and bottom Angus Burlingham. [SCOTT BARBER / THE OBSERVER]
GRADES | 2
High levels of contaminants, particularly DDT, found downstream of the Chemtura chemical plant in Elmira warrant quick action, says an environmental watchdog group. The Chemtura Public Advisory Committee wants to see more testing and immediate action to stop contaminants leaking offsite along the plant’s eastern and southern boundaries. Meeting for the last time July 23, the group called on Woolwich to endorse a resolution to be sent to the Ministry of the Environment when council reconvenes on August 11. While the township has opted to replace CPAC with a new structure, the group wants to see tackling problems at the site remain a priority.
CPAC’s final report on offsite contaminants finds “alarming” levels of DDT in sediments along the Canagagigue Creek. “Alarmingly, DDT levels were found to range from 20 to 2,900 times higher than the applicable Ontario Maximum Allowable Concentration standards in Canagagigue Creek sediment 40-50 metres south of the site, whereas no detectable levels of DDT, and similar contaminants, were found upstream of the Chemtura site,” says the report drafted by CPAC member Graham Chevreau. The latest information comes from sampling done along the creek in June by MBN Environmental Engineering, contracted by CPAC. The findings warrant action from the ministry, Chevreau said in an interview. “As far as we’re concerned, it’s pretty obvious there’s a CPAC | 2
Come help us celebrate our newest reason to smile! Our Elmira office is finally finished and we want to share it with our community!
When:
Friday, Aug. 7, 2015 (during Elmria’s sidewalk sale)
What’s Happening: 11:00AM
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
Where:
11:30AM-2:00PM
Free, Community-Wide BBQ
Our new office at 48 Arthur St. S., in Elmira
2:00PM-5:00PM
Tours, Balloons, Temporary Tattoos
www.josslin.com
519•669•1611